North Macedonia — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for North Macedonia, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for North Macedonia was 12.26% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 38.80% in 1996. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.02% per year.
North Macedonia ranks 24 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 13%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so North Macedonia sits above it. It peaked in 1996 and has fallen 68% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 54%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 3 of 49 economies; Georgia (12.10%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 19% in 1995. That is 31% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 3rd of 187 in 1991 → 1st of 187 in 2000 → 1st of 187 in 2010 → 20th of 187 in 2020 → 22nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 12.27% | -0.9 pp |
| 2023 | 13.17% | -1.3 pp |
| 2022 | 14.48% | -1.3 pp |
| 2021 | 15.8% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 16.58% | -0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 17.41% | -3.8 pp |
| 2018 | 21.21% | -1.6 pp |
| 2017 | 22.86% | -1.5 pp |
| 2016 | 24.31% | -2.1 pp |
| 2015 | 26.4% | -1.8 pp |
| 2014 | 28.22% | -0.8 pp |
| 2013 | 29.02% | -2.1 pp |
| 2012 | 31.1% | -0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 31.5% | -1.6 pp |
| 2010 | 33.14% | +0.8 pp |
| 2009 | 32.35% | -1.6 pp |
| 2008 | 33.93% | -1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 35.23% | -1.2 pp |
| 2006 | 36.39% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 37.32% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 37.16% | +0.5 pp |
| 2003 | 36.69% | +4.7 pp |
| 2002 | 31.94% | +1.4 pp |
| 2001 | 30.52% | -1.7 pp |
| 2000 | 32.2% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 32.4% | -2.1 pp |
| 1998 | 34.5% | -1.5 pp |
| 1997 | 36% | -2.8 pp |
| 1996 | 38.8% | +3.2 pp |
| 1995 | 35.6% | +5.6 pp |
| 1994 | 30% | +2.3 pp |
| 1993 | 27.7% | +1.4 pp |
| 1992 | 26.3% | +1.8 pp |
| 1991 | 24.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was North Macedonia’s Unemployment in 1992?
26.3% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is North Macedonia’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -50.0% in total — about 2.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 12.26%; 2024: 12.27%; 2023: 13.17%; 2022: 14.48%; 2021: 15.8%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.